


aubade

by inexhaustible



Series: indounaru works [3]
Category: DAYS (Anime & Manga)
Genre: M/M, Quick character study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 00:02:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10477572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inexhaustible/pseuds/inexhaustible
Summary: first dates, and navigating what they are now.





	

**Author's Note:**

> find me @indoukaoru on tumblr!

“Kaoru!”

Kaoru felt the coming headache prodding insistently at his temples and groaned. He rolled over, burying his face in his pillow. _If I don’t move, maybe he won’t see me._

The sudden burst of light quashed his timid hopes, the covers yanked away in one fell swoop. “Shuuji,” he started, before insistent hands tugged at his arms, dragging him out of the cozy warmth of his blanket cocoon.

“You promised,” Shuuji said, and without even looking Kaoru could hear the pout in his voice, crocodile tears already welling up in his large eyes. Kaoru took a slow breath, reconsidering his life choices, before he reluctantly pushed himself up off the bed, sitting up and running a hand roughly through his hair. Groggily, he dragged his gaze over to Shuuji, who stood across from him with his hands on his hips, frowning disapprovingly down at Kaoru.

“Fine, fine,” he mumbled, swinging his legs wearily over the edge of the futon. Shuuji huffed before turning away to dig through his closet, and Kaoru took advantage of his turned back to glance up again, eyes hovering over Shuuji’s shoulders.

It was strange, the way they had always seemed to click into place. It’d only been a week since Shuuji had cornered him after a tense practice, edging his way into his personal space, eyes full of that same fire that had brought Kaoru to Tokyo, to Sakuragi, to the pitch. It’d been a challenge and a plea in one, and Kaoru still remembered vividly the way Shuuji’s hands had felt on his waist, the way Shuuji had tilted his jaw into Kaoru’s touch and leaned forward on his toes. It should’ve been a bigger deal, and that it _wasn’t_ – and now after the fact, Kaoru didn’t know how to feel, how to approach the new _thing_ that had grown between them.

For once, something with Shuuji didn’t come effortlessly, and Kaoru found himself hesitating, deliberating before moving. He got up clumsily, shuffling around Shuuji, who handed him a set of clothes wordlessly. Kaoru took them, tugging on the v-neck and jacket as he stepped into the bathroom.

“Do you have a plan?” he asked, through a mouthful of toothpaste. Shuuji rolled his eyes, picking up a stray sock from where Kaoru had launched it on his graceful trek across the room.

“Obviously,” Shuuji replied, elbowing him in the side. He jumped, managing only barely to land his toothpaste in the sink. Kaoru grumbled to himself, finishing his morning routine with a quick splash of water to his face, running damp hands futilely through his messy hair. He turned, meeting Shuuji’s unimpressed gaze.

“So,” he said, airily. “A date, huh?” The way Shuuji smiled, eyes crinkled and shining, was nothing new – but the hands, hesitant on his hips were. Kaoru raised a hand curiously, running his fingers tentatively down the side of Shuuji’s neck before leaning down for a quick kiss. Something in his chest ached at the slow way Shuuji rose up to meet him, the way Shuuji looked at him, warm and adoring when he pulled back. Kaoru looked away sheepishly, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. _This_ was new: the easy way their touches lingered, the open affection in Shuuji’s eyes, the stolen kisses, still alien to the both of them.

“C’mon,” Shuuji said, tone too fond to be scolding. “We’re gonna be late.” He laced his fingers through Kaoru’s, leading the way out of their room swiftly enough to catch Kaoru off-guard. He stumbled after him, steps echoing roughly through the house as they dashed out the door.

“There’s something for us to be late for?” Kaoru called, eyes fixed on their locked hands. He swung his center of balance forward, feet hitting the ground confidently as he met Shuuji’s pace, running forward so he wouldn’t be dragged behind. Shuuji laughed, bright and breathless, and Kaoru found himself staring – because this was what they were, what they’d always been: Shuuji dashing ahead and Kaoru meeting him every step of the way as equals, as partners.

It was only that now, they were partners in more ways than one, Kaoru mused.

“Not really,” Shuuji said, finally, slowing to a walk.

“Then why were we running?” Kaoru asked, not really expecting an answer. That breathless laugh had been answer enough, echoing in Kaoru’s chest and pushing him forward.

“You’re ridiculous,” Kaoru muttered, pulling his hand free from Shuuji’s grasp to ruffle his hair, grinning at Shuuji’s indignant yelp. He let his hand linger fondly before pulling away again, glancing around at their surroundings with an uninterested stare. The streets were relatively empty, the dusty sidewalk crunching softly beneath their feet. The winds picked up, breezes drifting across Kaoru’s exposed shoulders and reminding him of Hokkaido.

Hokkaido, he thought, with a burst of clarity, not _home_. _Home_ had shifted to Tokyo, to waking up with Shuuji’s hair in his face and to summer days spent in a haze on the pitch. _Home_ had become Natsu’s cooking, his teammates’ smiles, and Shuuji’s easy, careless laughter at his back, pushing him to run farther, faster. It was a strange thing to face, how quickly the past two years had flown by.

“You like me,” Shuuji teased, snapping Kaoru out of his thoughts. Kaoru bumped him with his shoulder, snorting at the way Shuuji lost his balance, arms flailing for a split second as he righted himself.

“Yeah, maybe,” Kaoru murmured, tilting his head back through the cool air. “Don’t get any ideas, but I think I really do.”

They stopped in front of a familiar storefront, and Kaoru laughed softly.

“Really?” The scent of ramen wafted enticingly out from the curtain covering the open doorframe, and Kaoru’s stomach growled traitorously in spite of it all. “We come here all the time.”

“But,” Shuuji pointed out, a gleam in his eye, “we haven’t come here since we got together. So it’s an acceptable first date!”

Kaoru tipped his head, following his stomach – and Shuuji – through the door. He glanced at Shuuji, wondering if he was reading too much into it. There was an unspoken message in Shuuji’s tone, his words, his choice: _we haven’t changed_.

Kaoru felt some of the strange tension in his spine dissipate, a soft smile tugging at his lips. _So we haven’t._

 


End file.
